Arthur's Memories
by AnnaMel
Summary: Arthur remembers some of the most important moments in his little girl's life.


Arthur looked at his little girl. Well, she wasn't a little girl anymore, he knew that. But he couldn't help but think that, in his mind, she would always be a little girl, the little baby he remembered taking in his arms for the first time so long ago, just after she was born.

Oh, yes, Arthur had a lot of memories. He remembered the joy he felt when the midwife told him that he had a little girl. Girls were so rare in the Weasley family. But he and Molly had wanted a daughter so much, they decided to not stop trying until they got one. Of course, after six sons, they started to lose hope. They had to think about their sons, because he had to take care of them and he knew he wasn't rich, and Molly didn't work. He wanted his children to have a good life. After discussing the subject with Molly, they had decided that, girl or boy, that one was going to be their last child.

But their dream had come true. They had a beautiful little girl. He had seem her grow up, he had been there when she had taken her first steps, when she had spoken her first word, which, for his great delight, had been 'Dad'. He loved telling her stories, and she wasn't like most girls. Maybe it was the influence of Fred and George, but she was especially keen on horror stories, with big angry monsters. She loved the adventure. But her favorite story was the story of 'The-Boy-Who-Lived'. She was fascinated by him. In her mind, he was a great hero, after all, "he had defeated 'You-Know-Who' when he was just a baby", she explained with her eyes wide open.

She always had questions. Curiosity was in her nature. She wanted to know everything. A lot of times she had asked him questions he didn't know how to answer. Other times, she asked him very embarrassing questions (although, he was sure that the twins had made her ask what "edible knickers" were. He wasn't even sure the twins knew what that was).

She had been so sad when Ron left for his first year, when she was the only child in the Burrow. Of course, her friend Luna came often to play with her, but she was used to have some other kid around to play all the time. At night, after he got home from work, he would do a special effort to play with her, so she wouldn't feel so alone. He knew Molly was doing the same thing, trying to keep her occupied, asking her help in the kitchen, teaching her how to cook. She had been also sad, because Ron had promised he would send her a letter a day, telling her everything he did at Hogwarts. But, as the weeks gone by, he only sent her one a month. Arthur understood it, of course. After all, Ron had classes to be worried about, and he had new friends. But she couldn't understand why her big brother didn't sent her more letters.

He also remembered when she first went to Hogwarts. She was so excited she wouldn't stop talking about it. But then Harry came to visit, and she was quiet and shy, something she had never been before. And she blushed a lot when he was around, or when she was talking about him. It was with a pang in the heart that he understood that his baby girl had her first crush. She wasn't so little anymore.

One of the most painful moments in Arthur Weasley's life was when he found out that someone, or something, had taken her to a chamber, and that nobody knew where it was. He remembered that he had hugged Molly, so that she wouldn't fall down, and let her cry in his chest, soaking his robe. He was crying too.

But then, he found out that his younger son and his best friend had found her, putting their lives in risk so that she could be safe. He had been so proud of Ron. He knew Ron didn't think much of himself, but he truly admired his son for his courage and his loyalty to his family and friends.

His little girl came back from that horrible place very different. She was quiet, almost an adult, and he cursed one more time the horrible man who took away his baby girl's innocence. Her eyes didn't have that glint of laughter anymore. He knew he was going to get over it and maybe be a little more like herself again, because she was strong. But somehow, it would never be the same.

One night, he woke up with her scream. She was having another nightmare. As usual, he got up and went to her bedroom to find her sitting in her bed, crying. He picked her up and went with her to a chair, trying to calm her down.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Ginny?"

"Can Tom come back?"

"Of course not, Ginny! Don't you remember Harry destroyed the diary?"

"Yes, but… I don't know, dad. Every time I have a nightmare, it seems so real. And I'm so afraid that he'll come back, and that he'll make me do horrible things again, dad. I think about Colin, and Hermione, and the others… dad, I could've killed them. And it would be my fault…"

"Ginny, stop it. It wouldn't be your fault and you know it."

"Yes, but… if I wasn't so stupid…"

She was calming down and he could tell that she was also getting sleepy. As he looked down to his daughter, that had already closed her eyes, he wondered what would have happened if they have lost her. His heart clenched. He took her to her bed and, as he covered her with her old blanked, he was amazed by how innocent he looked when she was sleeping. At that moment, he made a promise: if Harry Potter ever needed anything from him, he would give without a second thought. It could be his most treasured belonging, it didn't matter. He had a big debt with Harry Potter.

Of course, when Arthur made that promise, he didn't know that Harry Potter would ask for the most valuable thing he had… his daughter.

But, as he watched Harry and Ginny smiling at each other, in their own wedding, he knew that they would be very happy. And that was all that mattered.


End file.
